Fluid fuel burner



Jan.`30, 1945.

H. F. MQRRELL FLUID FUEL BURNER Filed ot. 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 30, 1945. H. F. MORRELL FLUID FUEL' BURNER Filed oct. 1, 1943 INVENTOR. HENRY FMORRELL y ,4T T o eA/E Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 30, 1945 FLUID FUEL BURNER Henry `F. Morrell, Denver, Colo. Application october 1, 1943, serial No. 504,647

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in uid fuel burners. Y

The use of oil and gas for fuel in connection with power and heating plants is quite common and in order to use such fuel to the Ibest advantage, it must be mixed with the proper amount of air so as 'to obtain complete comibustion and where liquidfuel is employed, means must also be provided to properly atomize it so as to reduce it to the consistency of a fine mist that will be completely oxidized during the burning operation.

It is the object of this invention to'produce a burner of a simple and'suibstantial construction that shall :be so designed that it will permit ad- .,iustments to be made for the purpose of effecting an atomization and a supplyof air for combustion so proportioned' to the vfuel that practically all of its thermal units will be converted into heat.

Another object of this inventionis to produce a fuel burner of the type mentioned which shall have means for discharging the fuel in a hollow stream and'providing ail` for combustion both on the outside and on the inside of such stream.

Another cib-ject of this invention is to produce a fluid fuel lburner that can be used with oil or with gas as fuel.

A further `object of this invention is to produce a burner that shall be provided with an inspirator lbody of a Venturi shape in which a fuel mixing andatomizingdevice is axially positioned and in which streams of air or ysteam are admitted through helically arranged openings positioned adjacent the inner surface of the -wall whereby an inspirator action is obtained that causes a hollow stream of air to flow helically through the inspirator body and in which the fuel is arranged to be discharged in a helical stream adjacent the center and which, in addition, is provided with means for supplyingv a stream of air to the centerof the hollow fuel stream so as to permit complete combustion of the fuel ati-,he center of the stream.

Another-object of this invention is to produce a :burner of such construction that the amount of fuel can be adjusted independently of the quantity of steam employed for'atomizing the fue1 and in which the amount of atomizing fluid 'and fuel can be simultaneously adjusted in a predetermined proportion. f l

A further object of the invention is to produce a Iburner of such construction that it. can .be

accumulations of soot and other deposits.

The above and any other objects that Amay be come apparent as .this description proceeds are attained by means of' a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now ybe described in detail and for this purpose reference -Will behad to the accompanying drawings in which the invention has been illustrated in its preferred em- |bodiment, and in which: f

lFigure 1 is a longitudinal diametrical section taken on plane II, Figure 3;

Figure 2 is an enlargement of a fragmentary portionof the burnershown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an end elevation looking upwardly objectioname in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4 4, Figure 5; and i Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5 5, Figure 1. v

In the drawings reference numeral I0 designates an inspirator body which is roughly of Venturi shape. The end which has ybeen designated by reference numeral IIis of a larger diameter than thecentral .portion which has been designated iby numeral I2 and the inner end I3 is outwardly flaring. In the embodiment shown, that part designated by reference numeral I3 is threadediy or otherwise connected to the other part of the burner at the point indicated by reference numeral I4. Extending outwardly at the joint I4, is a iiange I5 whose innersurfaceis'iinf ished and which is provided with a plurality of sure and which can therefore be kept `free from openings I6 for the reception of bolts by means of which the burner is secured in place on a boiler or other heating apparatus. An annular chamber or manifold Il is provided adjacent the` narro-west portion of the inspirator body and the front wall is exposed in the manner shown in Figure ,1 so as to provide an annular surface which is provided with a inclined perforations I8. In the embodiment illustrated, perforations I8y are inclined so as to produce a spirally directed circular ,blast of steam rotating in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Figure 4. The outwardly flaring outer end of the inspirator body is provided with a machined surface I9 toA which the burner base 20. is secured 4by means of tubular lbolts 2| and 22. The surface I9 is machined so that it forms a portion of a frusto-coni-cal surface whose axis coincides with the axis ofthe inspirator `body. This is effected fby first machining the surface I5 and securing the inspirator body to a face plate with the machined surface against the same. The

plurality of helicaliy base 25 has a central opening 23 that has sections of different diameters and which is so positioned that it is in axial alignment with the inspirator body. A steam tube 24 is secured in the inner end of opening 23 and the wall of the latter is provided with an inwardly extending flange 25 that serves as an abutment for packing material positioned between this abutment and the movable ring 25. A removable abutment 21 is positioned inthe enlarged section 2S of the burner base and serves as the inner abutment for packing material held in place by means of the packing ring 29. An atomizer control body 30 is positioned in the enlarged part of the enlarged section 28 of the opening 23 and is held against rotation :by means of a screw 3l in the manner shown in Figure 5. The outer end of the control body 35 is threaded and cooperatively connected therewith is a cylindrical nut 32. This nut is provided at its inner end with a flange 33 and -issecured to the'burne'r base by means of a ring 34 that is held in place by means of screws 35. A handle 36 has a portion that surrounds the nut 32' and is held against rotation thereon by means of a key 3'1. The ring 34 is graduated into equal spaces by means of marks 38 over which the pointer 39 moves. The atomizer control body has an axial opening which is provided with a threaded section 4U and an enlarged section 4I with the inner surface of which a packing nut 42 is threadedly connected. A fuel feed control tube 43 extends through the atomizer control body and is thradedly connected therewith so that whenever the tube is rotated relative to the body,

it will also move axially with respect thereto. The outer end of the tube 43 maybe noncircular, for example, square; or it maybe provided with a key slot like that designated by reference numeral 44. A control knob 45 surrounds the outer end of the tube 43 and is nonrotatably connected therewith. The nut 32 has an enlarged section at its outer end against the inner shoulder of which a washer 45 is positioned. A spring 41 is positioned in agroove in the wall of the enlarged portion and Serves to hold the washer 45 from longitudinal movement. Bolts 48 pass through the` knob 45 and through the washer 46 and their heads are spaced from the washer by means of springs 49. That portion 4of the handle 36 that surrounds the nut 32 is provided with a depression having a truste-conical surface '5U that cooperates with the frusto-conical surface I on the feed control knob 45. The action of the springs 49 serves to urge the two frusto-conical surfaces towards each other', producing a friction clutch whose function will be hereinafter described. By pulling the knob 45 outwardly so as to release the friction between it and the handle 36, tube 43 may be rotated independently of the nut 32 but when the knob 45 is acted on by the springs 49, it will rotate in unison with the handle 36, thereby producing a simultaneous adiustment for a purpose that will hereinafter more fully appear.

A fuel atoinizing tube 52 has its outer end secured in an enlargement of the axial opening in the atomizer control body 33. Openings 53 communicate the interior of tube 52 with the space surrounding the same, which, in turn, is in communication with the fuel inlet passage 54. y

Referring now more particularly to Figure 2', it will be observed Ythat the steam tube 24 is provided on its inner surface, adjacent its outer end, with an inwardly tapering friistoeconcalsurface 55 that connects the larger portion of its inn'er surface with the smaller diameter section 56. The latter section is provided with a groove '5l to which reference will hereinafter be made. The fuel atomizing tube 52 is provided adjacent its inner end with a frusto-conical surface 5B that overlaps the frusto-conical surface 55 and which connects the larger diameter section with the smaller diameter section which has been designated by reference numeral 59. The latter terminates in an outwardly extending flange 60 of substantially the same diameter-as the section 55 of the steam tube 24. That part of the fuel atomizer tube 52 that has been designated by reference numeral 58 is provided 4with a plurality of helic'ally arranged and inwardly ranging openings 5l through which steam for atomizing the fuel will pass in the manner indicated by the arrows S2. Due to the helical arrangement of these openings, the steam for atomizing will issue in a helical rotating stream that serves to Ibreak up theparticles' of oil or liquid fuel and produce a line atomization thereof. The inner surface of the atomizing tube 52' is provided with a forwardly tapering truste-conical surfacev 63 and the fuel feedcontrol tubev 43 is provided near its inner end' with a frusto-conical surface 64 thatl overlaps and cooperates with surface 63 to control the amount of fuel that is discharged. Tub'e 43, in addition to serving as a valve stem, also serves to introduce air to the center of the fuel stream whereby oxygen for fuel combustion is delivered to the interior of the flame in such a way' as to assure a. complete combustion,

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be observed that whenever nutl 32 is rotated, it will move the atomizer control body longitudinally' and therefore' it will produce a relative movement of the steam tube 24 and the fuel` atomize'r tube` 52, thereby chang-ing the distance between the frusto-conical surfaces 55 Iand 58 whereby the amount of steam that can enter and pass through the openings El is adjusted. If nut 32 is rotated without at the same time rotating the knob 45 and the tube 43, the fuel feed adjustment will not be altered.v B'ut since the handle 36 ls frictior'liall'y interconnected with the knob 45 so as to produce simultaneous rotation, it follows that whenever handle 36 is rotated; it not only changes the' amount of steam admitted, but it also effects a simultaneous and proportionate adjustment of the fuel supply. This feature of the burner is of great importance for the reason that after the fuel and the atomizing steam has been once properly adjusted this adjustment will .be altered whenever adjustments are made' lesser amount of heat.

To' effect the initial adjustment, the operator gras'psknob 45 and exerts a sufficient pull there'- on to compress the springs 45 sufficiently to break the frictional interconnection between the knob and the handley 35, whereupon tube 43 can be adjusted relative to tube 52' and in the same manner it is' possible to' adjust the tube 52 with respect to both tubes 24 and 43, if this should become desirable. f

Attention hasl been directed to the fuelV pas'- sage 54 that has been' provided in the burner base 20 and in addition to this, a steam passage 55 is provided which is in dii-ect communication with the space between the steam tube- 24 and the fuel atomizer tube 52. A fitting 55, which has' been' Shown LS Combination (if 8'. 'T' flfldan L, has the opening 61 Cected With a SLlrGe or steam or or gras and4 this 'opening is 'also' in communication Ywith the-opening 68 leads for a greater or to the manifold I1. A'v'alve 69 controls the flow of steam to the manifold. This valve isprovided with a pointer 'Nlthat movesover a` graduated vdisk 1 I land vwhich indicates the amount the valve is open. The graduations 12 may-be numbered -andthe .graduations 38 onrdisk 34-may also be numbered and it istherefore Apossiblefto repeat any adjustment that has once beenmade.rv The adjustments for different installationsare different and after they have lonce been determined,

a record is made of the positions of thepartsso that if this adjustment is disturbed, it may be-reestablished` whenever *desired. Although it has vnot-beenshown on the drawings, it is sometimes desirable tohave the knob 45- provided with `a pointer or-with a mark and have the surrounding surface of the fhandle 36provided-with graduations whereby `a record-may be made ofthe vrelative positions of these two parts when the desired adjustments have been effected. Valve l69 is provided with a handler 69d for operating it. Themembers designated .by `reference "numerals 2l and 22 are hollow bolts andthe portions 2|'a and y22a that are inengagement with the base 20 arethreadedly connected-therewith and the outer portions are also threaded so as to cooperate with thenuts 2lb and 22h, respectively. The

tubular bolt 22 is connected with asource of oil or of gask which constitute the uid fuel employed.- Attentionis now directed ytothe pas,-

sage 13 that connects the steam passage 65 with` the fuel passage 54'. Passage 13? can be closed or 'opened by means of a valve whose'stemhas been clesignatedby reference -numeral 14. This valve stem -is'provided with a hand wheel 'l5 and with astuing box '76. When the valve is in open position,"steam can pass through the'passage 13 and into `the'space between tubes 521 and 43 and by this means any accumulation of soot at the burner tip can be quickly and completely removed by the use ofthe high pressure steam b-last. When'the tube -52 is withdrawn to the position shown -in Figure 2, the flange llvwill be positionedin the groove 51 and the steamy will then f have a passage independent of the openings 6l.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 2,' and the valve 'M in open position,=the burner can be thoroughly cleaned` and relieved o'f any accumulations of soot that would otherwise ,interfere with its operation. r I y i Attention,l in particular, is directed to thecon- 'struction whereby the fuel is surrounded by lan envelope of air circles in a helical direction produced by thev inspirator` action of-the steam emerging through the 'openings i8 and' tothe constructionwhereby air for combustion is supgealed; gas is `employed for producing sufficient heat to generate -steam and heat the oil to a owablecondtion. Before steam is generated, a gas under pressure is admittedinto the'passage'l andV takes the' place of the steam for the purpose of producing. a flow-of air and for atomizingthe fuel.` However,-when gas is usedv as fuel, there is -n'o great need of atomizing as ,thezfuel is already in'a gaseous state.

-The burner assembly comprising tubes 24, 43 and 52 is quite long and this gives the liquid fuel time to become` highly heated so that when, it is discharged at thelinner end, it vaporizes very quickly.L ,f Having described the invention what is'claimed as new isr..

1. ,A liquid fuel burner having three concentric tubes spaced to form two concentric annular pas- -sage's`,zthe outer tube being stationary,l the pas? sage betweenthe innermost'tube and the iintermediate tube being in communication with a supply of 'liquid fuel, the space betweenthe outermost and the intermediate tubes being in communication'with a source of steam` under pressure, ytheinnermost tube being open for the free passage'of air, valve means controllingthe escape y 1 2. Aliquid fuel `burner comprising, Vanxelongated hollow inspirator-body, a steam tube positioned centrally lof the body, said tube being in f communication with a source of steam under pressure, va fuel atomizingtube, said last menplied to the center of the fuel stream so'as to assure a complete combustion'.

Attention is also directed to the adjustment by means of which tlie fuel and the steam for atomizing can be independently adjusted and after such adjustments have been effected, can be simultaneously adjusted in 'a predetermined proportion through the interaction of the rotating nut 32 and the knob 45. The construction by means of which the burner can be quickly cleaned by the action of the steam is also believed to be of great importance as this simple method of cleaning assures that the burner will be kept vclean atall times.

When the burner is started after having been closed down over night, the oil will be rather stiff and therefore unsuited for use until heated. This is true in cool weather more particularly than in warm weather. When the oil is contioned tube being in communication with a fuel supply positioned in the steam tube, the inner surface of thesteam tube and the outer surface ofthe fuel atomizing tubesl having outwardly tapering frusto-conical surfaces in over-lapping vopposed relation, means for moving the two'tubes relative to each other tovary'the cross sectional area of the annular passage between the two frusto-conical surfaces to regulate the amount K ofisteam that can pass, a fuel feed control tube positioned within the fuel 'atomizing tube, the

inner surface of the last mentioned tubeand the outer surface of the fuel feed control tube having overlapping opposed frusto-conical surfaces forming an annular fuel control passage, means for'moving the fuel feed control tube relative to the fuel atomizing tube, to vary the area of the fuel passage while the last mentioned tuberemains stationary relative to the steam tube, means for moving the fuel atomizing tube relative to the steam tube while maintaining axed relation between the fuel atomizing tube and the.

fuel feed control tube, and means comprising a releasable clutch for interconnecting the two moving means to effect a simultaneous movement between the steam tube and the atomizing tube and betweenthe fuel feed control tube andthe atomizing tube. I

3. .A` liquid fuel burner comprising a tubular inspiratorbody, a burner base having an opening extending therethrough and a fuel and a steam. passage in communicatmn` the open ing,l a steam tube' having one end positioned; in the opening in thel base, an. atomizer` contrbi body positioned inthe other end of the opening and. mounted for longitudinal movement therein, means for holding the control' body from rotating relative' to the base, said control body 'havinaa threaded axial opening, the outer surface having a. threaded section, aA fuel feed ,controla tube extending through the opening: in the control body and' threadediy connected therovv/ith,l a fuel atomizing tube positioned in the; space between the first mentioned tubes: with oneendiV secured to the control body, a nut rotatably connected with. the base and 'threazdedly connected with the control body for moving the latter longitudinally in they base when they nut rotated, .means for rotating.- the fuel; feed controif. tube relative to the control body to effect azi-axial adfustment thereof relative' to. the fuel atomlzing tube, and meanscomprising a clutch mechanism f our simule taneously rotating the: mit and the fuel feed control tube to eifecta predetermined proportional adjustment between. the inet atomizing tube and the steamtube andV between. the fuel feed conbetween the fuel feedi control. tube and; the fuel atomizing. tube beine; in conmiunication. withr the fuel passage and the space between the steam tube and thel fuel; atomizing tube being inv communication with a steam. supply.V

4. e'. liquid fuel: burner comprising, an. inspirator body of. elongatedtubular form, a burner base' secured to" the inner` surface near one.v end of the body, the base' having an opening in' axial alignment with the body, c; steam tube having moans for rotating the lastmentioned tube; al fuel atomizi-ngtube positioned the annular space between thev steam tubel and the fuel feed con trol tube, the outer end of said atomizi-ng tube being positioned in: the: inner end of the opening in the aitomizer control body, the inner end of said atomizing tube. terminati-ne With-inthe steam trol. tube and the' fuel atomizing tube, the' space 25 time amdfprovided omits outer surfacey with a forwardly tapering frusto-conical surface overlapping and facing the frusto-conical surface on the inside of the steam tube, the inner sui:- face of. the fuell atomiai-ng vtube having an inwardly tapering frustofconical surface, the inner of thefuel feed control tube having anS in Wardly tapering frustoconioa-l surface facing the frustoeconicali inner. surface on the fuel atomizing 'tu-be,v means for moving the. fuel. feed control tube relative to the fueli atomizing` tube, means for movi-ngthe last mentionedtube relative to the steam tubegmeans for simultaneously adjusting the fuel atomizing tube relative to the steam tube and the fuel: control tube` relative to the fuel atomizin-g tube, thev space-betweenl the fuei feed; control: tube and the fuel'` atomioing tube bei-ng connected with a liquid fuei supply and the space between the fuel. atomizing. tube: and the steam: tube beine: connected with. a source of steam. under pressure, and means' for producing an inwardow of through'l thel inspirator body.

5. Afburner for use.` with liquid fuel comprising, a tubular inspirator bod-y, a burner base positioned and secured to the; inspirator body near its outer end, the base having an. axial; opening andseparate steam and fuel passages in communication therewith, a steamtube secured inthe inner end vof theaxial opening',` the inner end. of the tube having a portion of decreased diameter, an atomizer control bod-y positioned inthe opening` in the base, said. body having an axial opening which is threaded, a fuel atomizing tube secured in the inner end of the opening i-nthe: baseV in `concentric relation therewith, a fuelv feed. tube passing through the opening in the base and threadedly connected therewith, mea-ns for resisting forces tending to rotate the control body relative tothe base',l means comprisinge. nut rotatably connected with the baseand threadedly connected with the atomizer control bod-y for moving the latter axially inthe opening in the base, means' for rotating the fuel feed tube t@ :nove-itv longitudinally relativeto the control body and the fuel atomo'zing tube, the two last mentioned means bei-ng independently movable, and means comprising a friction: clutch device for' effecting a simultaneous operation of theV two adjusting devices, wlfierebythe fuel feed con.- troltube will be moved relative to the fuel atomizin-g tube and the latter moved relative to the steamtube-thereby effecting a simultaneous adjustment of the quanti-ty of fuel and steam supplied, in a'. predetermined ratio:

' HENRY F.. MORREI-.Lt 

